Scrimmage
by southern cross
Summary: Puck goes to football camp and meets a legend. Puck/Rachel also Tim/Julie for any FNL fans No smut, but lots of profanity and I know how people are about that. Puck is 17 and if Glee were on cable he would be cussing.


I love Glee and I love Friday Night Lights and the thought of that much hotness in one fic was too good to pass up and the similarities between Tim Riggins and Puck could not be ignored. You don't have to know about FNL to follow the fic so I hope you all give it a chance and I can't wait to hear your thoughts. I own nothing and mean no harm.

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The music had reached near deafening levels that had driven all the bodies with even a hint of sobriety out into the night.

After the hard press of bodies, dancing and probably doing much more, the chilled air was welcome. The porch was littered with empty red cups and beer bottles, whoever had the shit job of cleaning the place up in the morning was going to have their work cut out for them.

Having never rested that low on the social ladder Puck merely kicked at an errant bottle of Corona and jumped off the last step.

People thinned considerably on the lawn, too far from the beer, he had a nearly full Heineken only his second of the night, and he wasn't too concerned with the distance. There was at least one other soul who had gotten their fill of the festivities, someone had taken residence in one of the two lawn chairs that had been perched behind an inflatable pool someone had inexplicably placed by the battered mailbox.

"S'up," sober eyes looked up at him under dirty blonde bangs.

"Mr. Puckerman, join me," the drawl made him smile, accents were pretty awesome.

"33," Tim Riggins was legend. Their beer bottles clapped noisily against each other as Puck straddled the worn seat, he carefully tested the plastic and only sat when he was sure it would hold his weight. He had seen many an asshole not check and fall right the fuck through and there was no way he was losing that kind of face.

Shifting in his seat he settled back sipping from his bottle. There would probably be hell to pay if they were busted, and really he didn't know how the campus police hadn't already busted up the party, but whatever; it wasn't his frat house and he was a minor.

Smirking he shook his ankle a tune running around his head, his fingers itched for his guitar. This was the longest he had been without the instrument since he had joined Glee and he missed it, whatever, no one could make him admit out loud and it only made him that much more badass.

"You look like a man with thoughts," truthfully Puck had forgotten Riggins was there; fuck.

"Nah man just wishing I had my guitar."

Riggins' eyebrows rose, "You play," Puck nodded, "nice."

Riggins smirked, pointing his bottle at the newcomer, "I bet the chicks dig that shit," Puck laughed.

"Yeah they are all over that. This," he corrected giving 33 his best shit eating grin and flicked his chin.

Riggins chuckled the bottle in his was drained in the next gulp and he tossed it carelessly into the pool that was starting to leak what looked suspiciously like Pepto Bismol.

And just because he was turning into a bitch like that Puck gave into the little twist of guilt in his stomach, "she's all over it anyway," quickly occupying his mouth with the beer, he didn't want to start spewing cheesy shit, like how she had raised an eyebrow and told him in that know it all way that girls dug the guitar and it _was_ staying in Lima, Riggins was looking at him closer now; reappraising him.

Nerves were clawing at him, 33 wasn't known for speaking much, he had tagged along with Coach Taylor. As star fullback and national champ, shit Puck would have been all over that kind of clout Riggins had been unexpectedly serious about the advice he had been giving to the fullbacks and tailbacks. Elements of Puck's already tight game were about to elevate come the fall.

So yeah, he worried what he thought, whatever, he didn't need his approval; it wasn't like he was going to ever see the Texan after camp, "got yourself a good one," the drawl was thicker and it wasn't a question.

The beer that was being offered to him was a surprise, with a flourish Puck tossed his own bottle into the pool; he could have been QB, "nice arm," Puck shrugged.

Finn was QB, the star, the fucking leader, "I coulda tossed it."

Tim laughed, dark and warm, and Puck wondered if he would ever say that much and not say anything at all, "we all could have," looks like Puck wasn't the only one with QB issues. Puck filed that little tidbit away for later.

"Whatever, throwing is for girls," Puck grinned, "I'd rather hit some fuckers," and this time when 33 laughed it was bright and Puck laughed with him.

"I'll drink to that," their bottles clinked and they drank deep.

Puck wondered suddenly why Riggins was out here and not back in the party, dude was a stud; national champion player and in college he had to be drowning in tail.

"Party get to you," curiosity had won out over chill façade, he blamed Kurt; the little fucker had his nose in every one's business and if he didn't know it, would rope anyone he could find into getting the information that he needed, Puck had been unknowingly drawn in more than once. He had stopped that shit cold but he hadn't stopped listening in on Kurt's daily feed at the end of Glee practice. Knowledge was power or some shit.

His mind had wandered, Riggins was staring at the side of his head and he drank quickly, he needed to get his dumbass together.

33 smirked, "something like that."

Fuck, now he thought he was a loser that he was out here because of a girl, which he was, but still.

"Things were getting a little dirty," and that was not what Puck had been expecting, his face had to have reflected his surprise, Riggins simply shrugged when he looked over at him.

"You're not the only one whose got someone waiting at home Puckerman," Riggins smirked and Puck snapped his mouth shut.

Damn, not at all what he expected unsure what the hell he was supposed to say now, he said nothing, drank his beer silently for once enjoying letting someone else take the lead in conversation.

This whole week it had been nice to talk to people about something other than music, because really there was only so many ways to talk a song out, not that he would ever tell _her_ that so talking football with people who weren't idiots and actually gave a shit was a fucking treat.

The fact that there was another badass player, a back none the less, who was ditching the party for the sake of someone back home, well that was just freaking amazing.

"Her name's Julie," Puck looked over at 33, his attention was firmly on the bottle between his hands, "Julie Taylor."

The name connected immediately, Coach Taylor, star full back and Julie Taylor, Puck whistled low, "Damn that must have been tricky."

"You have no idea," Puck thought he just might but he leaned his bottle towards Tim anyway, he had to give the man his props dating the Coach's daughter had to make dinners only slightly more awkward than dinner with two dads, Riggins concurred and leaned his own bottle his way in support though.

"The first time I met Rachel Berry I was throwing a slushie in her face because the seniors had pegged her," Puck didn't need to say more, Riggins would understand and nodded in confirmation. Ohio and Texas weren't close, but high school was the same everywhere, and anyone not in was pegged out and they were done for.

Riggins told him about Jason and Lyla (the QB and head cheerleader a scenario he knew well), how he had lost his legs and she had spread hers. Puck flinched, Finn might not have lost his legs, but Puck had knocked them out from under him.

Talking about Quinn and the baby (he had stopped saying 'his daughter' after the papers had been signed) didn't make his chest ache like it had at first. Riggins had listened quietly and attentively and handed him another beer, Puck had certainly won that round.

And just because the night and their lives were freaky like that Riggins told him about Matt, 7, and his miraculous turn as replacement QB and the stars Riggins Jules had had in her eyes for him.

Rachel was one for stars, had looked at Finn like he been made of five points, it had driven him crazy.

After a long drink, one that emptied the glass, Riggins looked over, his eyes flat, "7 took her cherry," Puck felt the breath leave his lungs, 33 threw the bottle harder than was probably wise and the sounds of smashing bottles together was satisfying in every way.

Puck offered the next bottle instantly, round clearly belonged to 33, there was no fucking way he would even consider the thought of Finn and Rachel, "shit."

The conversation had taken a heavy turn, so he explained Glee.

33 laughed loud and long, "wait, wait, show choir," his head shook in disbelief.

Puck shrugged grinning, "What can I say we're the shit," it was so far from the truth but whatever, they had won Regional's, had a spot pegged at Nationals and well he was in Glee and that by default made it badass.

And in a continuing wave of weird Julie Taylor danced, really well to hear 33 tell it, "The outfit's man," Tim shook his head in disbelief, "I swear sometimes she does that shit to kill me."

Puck laughed thinking about Rachel and her 10 year plan, "Rachel's got plans, big ones, ones she seem to think I'm going to be a part of," and that came from exactly nowhere.

Dropping his head back onto the raggedy plastic he noticed that the night sky was clear and of course just because there could be there were stars overhead.

"Jules swore she'd kick my ass if I dropped out," 33 waved his bottle at the college campus; Puck knew it wasn't his campus but the intention was clear, "everything's different man, it counts cause people are watching."

College was a given, his mother had drummed it into his head since he was little, he was going to graduate high school and go to college, clearly she hadn't seen one of his report cards in the last five years; but it didn't matter, there was bound to be some community college that would take him.

Not going had never even been considered, and with Rachel's idea of homework hour actually containing homework his grades might garner him a shot at State. Of course Tim would have made it on his football skills; his team was the shit, so yeah there would have been added strain there, eyes on him that Puck wouldn't have to worry about.

Who knew being on a shitty team might be some kind of blessing; not him, he still would have cut a bitch for a championship ring.

A real buzz was setting in, the cooler between them just had beer after beer, Puck came to the conclusion that abandoned fathers was a common trait among backs, but Puck had a mom and 33 had a big brother so all wasn't lost. Oh, neither of them gave a shit about what others said about their hair.

"The hawk is the shit," Riggins had laughed and shaken his long locks, Puck had rolled his eyes and refused to concede the point. They called it a draw, even though Puck was pretty certain that neat and trimmed would win over shaggy and unkempt.

At some point phones were pulled out, numbers exchanged and pictures shown. Legs vs. tits it was a debate for the ages.

Slightly drunk texts were sent to significant others and they had swapped handsets at the indignant responses. Rachel had definitely won in the amount of words, but there had been profanity in Tim's and that counted, a lot.

Getting Rachel to curse, when his fingers weren't up to no good, was a personal mission of his.

"Dude tomorrow morning is going to suck," 33 grunted his agreement; it wasn't going to be the first time players had gone to practice hung over, still, it was one of the best nights he had had out with one of the coolest people he had ever met.

Practice the next morning had sucked harder than Puck could have possibly imagined.

When Tim had wandered over looking as much like shit as Puck did and handed him a water bottle, Puck knew that the hangover had been worth it, and Rachel would be so fucking proud that he had made a 'friend'.

People were staring, 33 was more of the shit than Puck had realized, and he couldn't help but smirk at a couple of the assholes who had given Tanaka grief over his pot belly, Lima couldn't be all about losers if a Panther was hanging with them.

When Riggins had asked him to join up with Taylor's scrimmage team Puck had nearly choked on his water, "seriously?"

The end of camp scrimmage was the holy fucking grail of games and everybody wanted to be included, "Coach saw what you could do, seems you remind him of someone," Riggins smirked and when his mouth fell open Puck didn't have sense left in him to shut his mouth.

"I'll take that as a yes," Puck nodded, he didn't know it what reality he was at all comparable to Riggins but he would take it, "fuck yeah that's a yes."

Tim left him after a hefty smack on the shoulder and more laughter.

There were shouts and screams, plays were being run and bodies were colliding, Puck stared out over the field and didn't see a damn thing, he was going to play on Coach Taylor's scrimmage team, "shit."

Rachel had not seen the significance, "so you are going to be in a football game, at football camp," Puck had rolled his eyes.

He was tired and sweaty and really not in the mood so he went in for the kill, putting just the right edge to his voice, "I was hoping you could come see me play."

There were screams and giggles and lots of 'oh my Gods' Puck grinned, he had made his girl crazy happy although he failed to see what was a 'romantic gesture' about a game invite, but he wasn't about to argue with her. Nothing was ever wrong with having your girl cheering you on from the stands.

33 told him later that afternoon that Julie would be coming down for the game as well. Puck figured they might have a shot at them hitting it off, Tim had concurred.

Neither of them could have had any idea what they had unleashed in the meeting.

"Oh my God Puck Julie is just the best, you know she's applying to Northwestern, her parents don't even know it, they still think she's staying local, well as local as Texas could be, it is an enormous state you know," in the past half hour since their dinner with Tim and Julie Puck had learned more about Julie Taylor than he thought possible.

Given that the girls had been with him and 33 the entire time he didn't know when they would have had time to exchange so many freaking details. There had been two bathroom breaks, but damn, could girls really talk that much in such a short span of time?

He had exchanged maybe a dozen words with Tim, combined, during their absences.

Rachel was still going on about her new bff, and really he was happy for her, the girl didn't have any friends, at all, despite what she thought about the Gleeks, none of them gave a real shit about her. It pissed him off, he couldn't get her to change her mind, although she had stopped catering to their every whim and doing every little thing for the club.

Just because she was the captain didn't make her their bitch, so maybe making friends completely removed from the group would be good for them both.

His attention drifted to their surrounding, the campus was quiet, it was late, later than Rachel probably assumed it was and they weren't really making good time in getting her back to the room she was staying in. Through the spray of water from the fountain he saw some people in the grass huddled around some telescopes, his eyes flicked absently towards the sky.

"Noah are you even listening to me?" she was staring up at him, her arms crossed and there was a very good attempt at a scowl on her face.

Rachel was many things but intimidating when not clutching a microphone was not one of those things.

Still, she was annoyed and he was really hoping to get some, "baby I hear every words you say," didn't mean he was listening, he smirked, and she rolled her eyes. His hands had snaked around her waist and before she could protest he cupped her ass and lifted her.

"Noah!" with an oomph she fell into his chest, it might have hurt if she weighed anything at all, girl was itty bitty all soft skin and a waist his hands almost wrapped. It was that outrageous personality and infectious determination that made her larger than life.

"Your thoughts are wandering," Rachel was studying him, with a hand on each of his cheeks she drew his face in close, his whole body tensed as she peppered kisses to his chin and nose and eyelids, when his eyes had closed he didn't remember.

They were in public, totally and completely in view of everyone and anyone walking through the quad and no one cared. Not one person stopped or snickered or gave a shit that Puck and crazy Berry were making out, because they were Noah and Rachel and he had his first glimpse of what it might be like if they made it out of Lima in one piece.

And it fucking rocked, hiking her up, she squealed her legs, amazing things really, wrapped around his waist and he kissed her. Catching her laugh with his lips his tongue met her giggle and it tasted better than his Mom's chocolate mousse, and that was pretty damn good.

"You're going to be awesome tomorrow," his lips were attached to her neck, but her words threw him. Who just says that stuff?

Leaning back her eyes were on his, warm and serious, she meant it, had total faith that he was going to rock the field, which he was duh, but she thought it, _of him_.

"Thank you for inviting me Noah," her lips were pressing against his and he would have sworn that she had sucked the air right out of his lungs. Totally improbable sure but what else explained the tightening in his chest at her words.

"Hey you two get a room," there was a familiar drawl and a warm chuckle, Rachel gasped and buried her face into his neck.

"Shut up Tim, God," Julie elbowed Riggins in the ribs, Puck smirked.

Rachel slid down his body, he groaned she hit him in all the right places, she smirked at him once she was on her feet, 'bitch' he thought as he readjusted his junk easing the pressure.

Whatever, he would make her pay as soon as they were alone, she squeaked when he whispered into her ear, nipping at her earlobe for emphasis, "_Noah_", Puck laughed and danced away from the hand that was aiming for his shoulder.

"Midget," Tim snorted in laughter, there was malice in it though.

"You going to take that Berry," Rachel looked at 33 and then back at Puck, something switched on in her eyes, a mixture of surprise that he was talking to her and not being mean and inspiring her all at once, Puck really didn't know when the fuck he became so good at reading her eyes. He was so whipped.

"I think you're right Tim," her voice was as prim and proper as it could get, "I don't think I am going to take it."

Puck saw what she was planning a second before she unleashed her fury, "shit."

The water from the fountain was a bone chilling cold, with a good push she had managed to get him off balance enough that his legs had given out from under him and he fell hard into the water.

There was a moment of stunned silence; all Puck could hear were his teeth chattering over the whoosh of water. Pandemonium broke out after that, he recovered, quickly, and Rachel was tossed unceremoniously into the water, her screams of disapproval completely ignored.

33 had thought it was a great idea and Puck caught the tail end of Julie Taylor's own deposit into the fountain. She rose from the water like a harpy and Puck watched with wide eyes as the two girls looked at each other and as one pounced on 33.

Their telepathy had worked and the Texan hadn't stood a chance, he had gone into the water in three seconds flat. Laughing was hardly a big enough word for what Puck was doing his entire body was singing with it and when Rachel crooked her finger at him he went to her without hesitation.

Not minding at all when she pulled him into the water, he splashed in with a smile, and met her wet lips with his own, "you're beautiful Berry," he mumbled against her lips, she pulled back, eyes wide.

"I'm glad you're here," Rachel positively cooed at him; yeah, he was the shit but she was everything.

At the scrimmage the next day Coach Taylor led them to a victory, 33 had even suited up to play, and with Puck by his side they had dominated; Puck had been a total badass, at least that was what Rachel had whispered into his ear after the game.

He had finally earned her profanity; and it was fucking hot.


End file.
